National Basketball Association

Suns 124, Rockets 115

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:12 p.m. ET

foxsports

HOUSTON -- P.J. Tucker and Mirza Teletovic shared the offensive load and the Phoenix Suns dealt a severe blow to the Houston Rockets' fading postseason hopes with a 124-115 victory Thursday at Toyota Center.

The Suns (21-58) snapped a seven-game slide by unfurling a 12-0 run late in the fourth quarter. The Rockets (38-41) surged to a 110-107 lead with a seven-point spurt but, starting with a pair of Devin Booker free throws, Phoenix wrestled control.

Tucker finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds while Teletovic added 26 points off the bench. Suns center Tyson Chandler scored 21 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and it was his dunk that capped the late run.

James Harden paced the Rockets with 30 points and dished out seven assists while Trevor Ariza chipped in 22 points. The Rockets, who entered play one game behind Utah for eighth in the Western Conference, lost for the seventh time in 10 games. Houston led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter before faltering.

The Suns parlayed a pair of brilliant, single-quarter performances into rallies from double-digit deficits.

Teletovic scored 11 points in the second quarter to key a comeback from a 41-29 deficit. He followed a 23-foot jumper with a cutting layup to pull Phoenix to within 45-41 before later adding a 3 that shaved the margin to 48-47.

With 17 first-half points, Teletovic almost singlehandedly kept the Suns in contention. When Houston scored the opening 10 points of the third quarter, Tucker caught fire and picked up where Teletovic left off.

Harden capped that Rockets run with a 3-pointer at the 9:02 mark but 25 seconds later, Tucker completed a three-point play to initiate the comeback. He added a reverse layup out of the post, a seven-foot jumper and a 3 before converting a reverse layup that cut the deficit to 77-69.

Teletovic, who re-entered the game with 6:21 left in the third, followed with a 3 and a difficult bank shot off the glass. When Archie Goodwin completed a three-point play at the 2:23 mark, the Suns led 82-81.

NOTES: Suns interim coach Earl Watson lauded the contributions of F/C Alan Williams, who signed a multiyear contract with Phoenix on March 18 after his initial 10-day contract expired. Williams was averaging just 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds in six games, but his energy and enthusiasm are what left Watson raving. ... Given their desperation relative to the postseason picture, the Rockets are in no position to scale back the minutes of G James Harden, who was averaging 42.6 minutes in his last eight games before Thursday. He leads the NBA in minutes (3,021) and minutes per game (38.2). ... Suns F Jon Leuer returned to action after missing two games with a right ankle sprain.